AIPO seeks regional security cooperation
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung proposed on Monday that the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO) establish a new common security arrangement to deal with the threat of terrorism and transnational crime.
Speaking in his capacity as AIPO president, he urged member countries to increase security cooperation through the proposed body.
"This will not be a military alliance but a firm commitment among the regional countries to take full collective responsibility in addressing security issues in the region," Akbar said at the opening of the 24th AIPO General Assembly here on Monday.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was scheduled to address the inaugural ceremony, failed to show up. Her remarks were read out by Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Later in the evening, Megawati apologized for her absence, saying she had been unavoidably detained.
"I would like to extend my sincerest apology for ... not being able to attend the opening ceremony...," she said at a dinner reception at the Bogor Palace, which she hosted.
Earlier, detik.com reported that a number of Indonesian legislators had said they would boycott the reception in response to Megawati's failure to open the AIPO meeting.
"As head of state, she should have attended...," said legislator Alvin Lie as quoted by detik.com.
Apart from terrorism, Akbar warned AIPO delegates of another global threat, namely the practice of unilateralism. This threat, he said, had in recent months tended to diminish the role of the United Nations in global security affairs.
He stressed that unilateral action did not solve problems it sought to solve and that in the long run a world dominated by unilateralism would not be able to achieve the peace it was aspiring to.
According to Akbar, there is a need to restore the United Nations to its rightful place in international affairs so that it could serve as the instrument to world peace.
Meanwhile, in her written message, Megawati said she believed the AIPO General Assembly would produce agreements that were not only commensurate with ASEAN unity and cohesiveness, but also with the efforts that were now being undertaken by all governments of ASEAN countries.
The AIPO General Assembly comprised members of ASEAN and observers from several other countries.
ASEAN consists of Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Brunei Darussalam.
Members of AIPO have held these annual meetings since 1978.
Meanwhile, the AIPO Plenary Meeting on Monday set up four committees to discuss political, economic, social and organizational matters.
Two other committees were set up to pursue dialogs with country partners and to discuss gender equality. All of the committees will be headed by Indonesian delegates.
Committee meetings would deal with transnational crime, migrant workers, maritime cooperation, the efforts to strengthen the role of the United Nations, the implementation of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), the establishment of ASEAN Antipoverty Fund and efforts to combat illicit drugs.
The assembly will also hear the report by the Cambodian Delegation on the 36th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in June 2003.
Lawmakers will also hold talks on economic cooperation and comprehensive partnerships between ASEAN and China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Gender equality and the role of women in politics in the globalized era, the role of women in the media to help solve the problems of women, and the role of women in accelerating the sustainable development are also on the meeting agenda.
In the meantime, the committee in charge of organizational matters will discuss the amendment of the AIPO statute and the report by Philippine delegates on the results of a feasibility study on the establishment of an ASEAN Parliament.